Floor-clamp.



H. H. MEADOWS.

FLOOR CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19. I914.

Patented July 6, 1915..

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ipart of this application,

HARVEY H. MEADOWS, OF BERWICK, ILLINOIS.

FLOOR-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1915.

Application filed December 19, 1914. Serial No. 878,140.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, I-Ianvnr II. Mnnnows, a carpenter, citizen of the United States, re siding at Berwick, in the county of Warren and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor- Clamps, of which the following is a speci ication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in floor clamps, the main object of the present invention being the provision of a floor clamp which is particularly adapted for use bv carpenters in forcing matched boards in position in laying floors and in other similar applications.

Another obiect of the present invention is the provision of a floor clamp of the above character which will possess advantages 1n points of efficiency and durabilitv. is inexpensive to manufacture and. at the same time, is simple in construction and operation.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View taken of a floor clamp constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-8, Fig. 1; and Fig. 1 is a detail sectional view taken on the line ir-4:, Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a casing which is generally indicated by the numeral 1 and which consists of a base or bottom 2 having side walls 3 extending upwardly therefrom and connected by means of the end walls a. Mounted upon the upper edges of the side and end walls, is a removable cover 5. Extending upwardly from the central portion of the base member 2, are the spaced walls 6 which form chambers 7 upon opposite sides of the central portion of the casing and also form a central chamber 8, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Arranged within the chamber 8, for longitudinal movement, is a rack bar 9 and mounted upon one end thereof, is an angular clamping plate 10 which is adapted to engage w1th the longitudinal edge portions of the floor boards 11, as indicated in Fig. 1, to force them into engagement with each other, when the device is in use. The cover 5 of the casing is provided with a longitudinal opening 12- and arranged upon opposite sides of this opening are perforated ears 13. Arranged between the ears 13 and pivotally mounted upon the cross pin 14, is an actuating lever 15, the outer end of which is provided with a handle 16, while the inner end thereof extends into the chamber 8 and mounted thereon is a pivoted pawl 17 having a rod 18 connected therewith, said rod extending outwardly parallel with the lever 15 and provided with a loop 19 whereby the rod 18 may readilv reciprocate to engage and disengage the pawl 17 from the teeth of the rack bar 9.

. Pivotally connected to the lever 15 at a point above the pawl 17, is what will be known as a retaining pawl 20, the lower end of which normally engages the teeth of the rack 9 to prevent downward movement of the rack when the lever 15 is actuated to move the pawl 17 downwardly over the teeth of the rack bar, in actuating the device. From this it will be apparent that after the clamping plate 10 has been engaged with the longitudinal edge of the floor boards 11, the lever 15 is actuated whereby to engage the pawl 17 with the teeth of the rack bar 9, so as to reciprocate said rack bar within the casing until the boards have been tightly fitted together. After the lever has been drawn back to a position opposite that shown in Fig. 1, the same is then moved forwardly against the pawl 17, passing over the teeth, while the pawl 20 will engage the teeth of the rack bar to prevent any down ward movement of the rack bar, while a new hold is being obtained with the pawl 17. It will be noted that the pawl 17 can be quickly and readily disengaged from the teeth of the rack bar 9, by actuating the rod 18.

In order to securely retain the casing against sliding movement upon the base 21 of the floor, I provide suitable sharpened lugs 22 which are arranged within the bottom of the casing and which are adapted for engagement with the base 21 of the floor to retain the casing against longitudinal move ment, while actuating the rack bar 9. In order that the sharpened lugs 22 may be forced to penetrate the base 21 of the floor, suitable weights are arranged within the chamber 7 whereby to hold the base of the casing down, and force the lugs 22 into the base of the floor. From this it will be apparent that any sliding on the part of the casing will be prevented. It will be noted that the cover 5 is securely held in position by means of the screw bolts 23 so that these bolts can be readily removed when it is de sired to remove the cover for placing weights within the chamber 7 for any other purpose.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the operation of my floor clamp is as follows :In laying flooring or for other similar purposes, the casing 1 is placed in position a slight distance from the object to be engaged. The rack bar 9 is then actuated through the medium of the lever 15 and the pawls 17 and 20 until the clamping plate 10 engages with the edge of the flooring or other object to which the device is to be applied. The lever is then actuated to force the object the required distance, the actuation of the lever forcing the pawls 17 and 20 backwardly over the rack bar by the movement of the lever in one direction and by forcing the lever in the opposite direction, the rack bar 9 will be actuated forwardly. From this, it will be apparent that I have provided a simple and durable floor clamp which can be easily actuated and which, at the same time, can be manufactured and placed upon the market at a comparatively low cost.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it Will be Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, I). C.

obvious that various changes in the details of construction and in the proportions may be resorted to for successfully carryln my invention into practice, Without sacri cing any of the novel features, or departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. 1

Having thus described this invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent, is i p 1. A floor clamp including a casing, a rack bar movable therethrough, an angular clamping plate carried by the rack bar, said casing being provided with chambers upon opposite sides of the rack bar adapted to receive Weights therein, pointed lugs carried by the bottom of the casing and adapted to penetrate the floor base, and means for engaging the rack bar to move the same with in the casing, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A floor clamp including a casing, par tition walls dividing the casing into a plurality of compartments, certain of said compartments being adapted to receive weights, and eXteriorly operable means movable through one of the compartments, for engagement With an article to be clamped.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my Commissioner of Patents, 

